Chicken, Rice and Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:
10 3/4 ounces cream of mushroom soup
2 cups milk
1 cup white rice, uncooked (do not use instant rice)
2 cups chicken, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
1 pound frozen green beans, slightly thawed
4 ounces mushrooms, drained
2 tablespoons pimentos,(chili pepper) chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 (2.8 oz. container) French fried onion rings

Method:
Preheat oven to 350ºF, and prepare a large casserole dish or 9 x 13 inch pan by coating with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large sauce pan, combine milk, cream soup, and rice. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and add chicken, green beans, mushrooms, and pimentos.
Stir to combine.
Remove from heat and pour into the prepared casserole dish. Spread shredded cheese on top of the mixture. Sprinkle the onion rings on top of the cheese. Bake casserole uncovered for about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cover the casserole loosely with foil to prevent over-browning. Bake an additional 20 minutes.

From the Rhodesian Cookbook

Green Chicken Curry with Coconut Rice

In the combination of coconut rice, a cloud that almost melts in your mouth, with this chicken curry, the mild aromatic flavour of the rice offsets the explosion of spice from the curry.

Use one or two fresh green chillies in this dish, depending on how hot you like your curry. Most cooks remove the seeds and membranes to reduce the chilli burn, but I like to leave them in. Perhaps I’m lazy, but I like the enlivening pizazz from the extra heat.

When using coconut milk, rather than buying it in a 400ml can, a 75g piece of creamed coconut can be dissolved in 400ml boiling water. Again I am too idle and take the easy road by using a can, perhaps because creamed coconut is not always available unless I want to make a journey to the Indian store near the beach front, Spice Emporium.

Although lemon grass is not frequently used in Indian cooking, its use here gives a more Thai or Bangladeshi touch to this curry. Lemon grass is a perfect partner for coconut, especially when used with chicken.

For an explanation of how to prepare lemon grass, visit: Taste Lemon Grass Preparation.

Ingredients:

For the Green Masala Paste:

4 spring onions, trimmed and roughly chopped

1-2 fresh green chillies, seeded and roughly chopped

2cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled

2 garlic cloves

5ml Thai fish sauce

A large bunch fresh coriander

A small handful of fresh parsley leaves

30-45ml water

For the chicken:

30ml sunflower oil

4 chicken breast fillets, skinned and cubed

1 sweet green pepper, seeded and finely sliced

400ml coconut milk

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Rice:

250ml Thai fragrant rice or jasmine rice

400ml coconut milk

1 lemon grass stalk, quartered and bruised

Method:

To make the green masala paste, put the spring onions, chillies, ginger, garlic, Thai fish sauce and fresh herbs in a food processor or blender. Pour in the water and process to a smooth paste.

For the chicken, heat half of the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the chicken cubes until evenly browned. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan and stir-fry the green pepper for 3-4 minutes, then add the green masala paste. Fry, for 3-4 minutes, stirring all the while until the mixture becomes fairly thick.

Return the chicken to the pan and add the coconut milk. Season to taste and bring to the boil; lower the heat and with a lid half on the pan, simmer for 8-10 minutes.

When the chicken is cooked, transfer it with the peppers to a plate. Boil the remaining liquid left in the pan for 10-12 minutes, or until it is well reduced and fairly thick.

Meanwhile, cook the rice. After rinsing the rice, put it in a large pan and add the coconut milk and lemon grass. Stir in a little salt and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer very gently for 10 minutes with a lid on the pot. Continue to cook the rice uncovered until it is tender. discard the pieces of lemon grass and fork the rice onto a warmed serving plate.

Return the chicken and peppers to the sauce, stir well and cook gently for a few minutes to heat through. Spoon the curry over the rice and serve immediately.

Serves 3-4

Golden Vegetable Paella

Ingredients:

A pinch of saffron strands

750ml hot vegetable or chicken stock

90ml olive oil

2 large onions, sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

275g long grain rice

50g wild rice

175g pumpkin, chopped

1 large carrot, cut into matchstick strips

1 yellow sweet pepper, sliced

4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

115g oyster mushrooms, quartered

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Strips of red, yellow and green sweet pepper to garnish

Method:

Place the saffron in a bowl with 60ml hot stock. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a paella pan or large, heavy-based frying pan. Add the onions and garlic and fry over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until just beginning to soften.

Add the long grain and wild rice to the pan and toss for 2-3 minutes until coated in the oil. Add the stock to the pan, together with the pumpkin and the saffron strands and liquid. Stir the mixture as it comes to the boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover and cook very gently for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.

Add the carrot strips, yellow pepper, chopped tomatoes and seasoning. Replace the lid and cook very gently for a further 5 minutes, or until the rice is almost tender.

Add the mushrooms, check seasoning and cook, uncovered, for just enough time to soften the mushrooms without letting the paella stick to the pan. Garnish with the peppers and serve.

Serves 4

Turkish Yoghurt Soup with Chicken, Chickpeas and Rice

Ingredients:
250ml water
125ml basmati rice
1 L chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
250ml full-fat plain yogurt
1 large egg yolk
30ml all-purpose flour
One 410g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
15ml extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
30gunsalted butter
10ml minced garlic
10ml sweet paprika
2.5ml ground cumin
1ml cayenne pepper
50ml finely chopped mint
Lemon wedges, for serving

Method:

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice, cover and cook over low heat until barely tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer over moderately high heat. Add the chicken and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate. Skim any fat from the surface of the stock.

In a large saucepan, whisk the yoghurt with the egg yolk and flour. Whisk in the stock and bring to a simmer over low heat, whisking occasionally. 

Using a stick blender, purée some of the chickpeas, rice and chicken. Stir this purée into the stock and yoghurt mixture until thoroughly blended, then stir in the rest of the chickpeas, rice and reserved chicken. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm over low heat. Do not boil!

Melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the garlic, paprika, ground cumin and cayenne and cook for about 2 minutes over moderate heat until fragrant. Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in the garlic spice butter. Sprinkle with chopped mint and serve with lemon wedges.

Arancini or Italian Rice Balls

Ingredients:
500ml cooked white rice
125ml grated Parmesan
2 eggs
8 small cubes fresh mozzarella
250ml breadcrumbs
5ml Italian herbs (basil, marjoram, rosemary)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oil, for frying

Method:
Place a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add enough sunflower oil to rise 4 inches in the pot.

Combine the rice, Parmesan and 1 egg in a medium bowl and use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture.

Form each arancini by taking a small portion of the mixture, squeezing it firmly and stuffing one cube of mozzarella inside each ball. Repeat this process to form 8 arancini.

Whisk together the remaining egg. Dip each arancini in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs with herbs and seasoning mixed in, shaking off any excess.

Once the oil reaches 190ºC, add 2 or 3 of the breaded arancini to the pot and fry them until golden brown and cooked throughout.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried arancini from the pot and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately salt the arancini. Repeat the frying process with the remaining rice balls.

Serve rice balls with a side of warm spaghetti sauce or as dumplings in a vegetable, beef or mutton stew, preferably one that is heavily flavoured with tomato.

Spicy Citrus Rice Salad

Ingredients:

Rice Salad:

125ml slithered almonds, toasted

750ml chicken stock

2.5ml sea salt

30ml extra virgin olive oil

375ml brown rice

125ml flat leaf parsley, chopped

zest of 1 orange

zest of 1 lemon

250ml spring onions, chopped

Half an orange, bottom remove,
     cut into 4 segments, each segment sliced in 3.

Vinaigrette:

125ml extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 orange

juice of 1 lemon

30ml soy sauce

15ml honey

5ml cumin seeds

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Method:

For the Rice Salad:

In a medium sauce pan, bring the chicken stock, salt and oil to a boil over medium-high heat and stir in the rice. Cover the pan and reduce the heat. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Using a fork, fluff up the rice and place in a large serving bowl. Add the parsley, orange zest, half the lemon zest, the spring onions and halt the almonds. Toss well.

For the Vinaigrette:

In a blender, combine the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, honey and cumin. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the vinaigrette over the rice mixture and stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Garnish with the remaining lemon zest and almonds and place the 12 pieces of orange around the edges of the bowl to decorate.

Red-Braised Pork Ribs with Sticky Rice

These spicy, sticky ribs are tender and wickedly moreish.

You could use pork ribs, lamb ribs or beef flat ribs.

Ingredients:
For the red braised ribs:
1.5kg pork ribs

250m water
125m shaoxing rice wine
5ml salt
60ml dark soy sauce
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
4 garlic cloves, crushed
5 large slices of fresh ginger
2 spring onions, roughly chopped
pinch chilli flakes
2 pieces dried tangerine or lemon peel
100g Demerara sugar

For the rice:
400g glutinous rice, soaked overnight in 1.litres pints water

For the sweet shallots and peanuts:
60ml vegetable oil
2 banana shallots, finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 large red chillies, finely sliced
15ml caster sugar
2 spring onions , finely sliced
50ml crushed peanuts


Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Cut the ribs into 2-3 pieces and place in a large, flameproof roasting tray.

Mix the remaining ingredients until well combined and pour over the ribs.

Place the tray over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Cover tightly with foil and place in the oven for 2 hours. Turn the ribs in their cooking liquor every 20 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 220C. Continue basting the ribs every 5-10 minutes or so, or until the sauce is well reduced.

Drain the rice, line the steamer with clean damp cheesecloth, spread the rice on the cheesecloth and cover lightly. Cook in the steamer for 15 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a large heavy fry pan, add the shallots, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until golden-brown. Add the chillies and the sugar and continue cooking until lightly caramelised.

Stir in the spring onions and drain through a sieve. Finally stir in the crushed peanuts.
Allow the ribs to cool slightly then serve with rice and the sweet shallots and peanuts.

Beef and Grapefruit Curry with Rice Wari

This is a rendition of a northern Indian dish in which they use a fruit called the shatkora, which is a citrus fruit similar to grapefruit. As grapefruit are easier for most people to obtain and gives a pleasant result, I have recommended them in this recipe. When buying your stewing steak, look for meat that has a bit of fat on it as this gives a more sumptuous texture to the resultant dish. I like to serve this with wari, a type of dumpling, as a meal in one dish.

Ingredients:
For the Curry
500g chuck or stewing steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
50-60ml vegetable oil
5ml mustard seeds
4-5 cloves
3 pieces of cassia bark
4-5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2ml ground turmeric
5ml chilli powder or tandoori spice
7.5ml freshly ground cumin seeds
7.5ml freshly ground coriander seeds
10ml salt
15ml tomato paste
15ml brown sugar
30-50g ghee
200ml boiling water
1 pink grapefruit
2ml freshly ground black pepper
2ml garam masala

For the Wari
250ml cooked and cooled rice (left over rice is preferable)
10ml coriander leaves, finely chopped
15ml vegetable oil
2ml ground cumin
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
30ml melted ghee for braising

Method:
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, cloves, cassia and cardamom pods and allow them to sizzle for a few seconds. Add the onion and cook over low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring from time to time, until they are soft and lightly browned.

Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilli powder, ground cumin, ground coriander and salt and fry for 1 minute. Add the beef and cook for 10 minutes, stirring now and then to turn the meat n the spices and onion. Add the tomato paste, sugar and ghee and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the boiling water, cover and simmer for an hour and a half or until the beef is almost tender.

Meanwhile, prepare the grapefruit. Cut it in half and squeeze out the juice. Cut one half into 2 quarters. Remove the residual membranes from one quarter, leaving the zest, which can be cut into thin strips.

To prepare the wari, mic the rice and other ingredients, except the ghee, and put the mixture through a mincer or blend them in a food processor. Form the dough into small balls about the size of a walnut. Melt the ghee in a frying pan and braise about 12 wari balls for 4-5 minutes, browning on all sides.

When the curry has had its hour and a half cooking time, add the prepared grapefruit zest and the squeezed juice, mixing into the curry. If the curry looks a bit dry at this point, add about half a cup of water and mix it in. Add the wari on the top and cook uncovered for a further 20-30 minutes or until the beef is tender, the gravy has reduced and thickened and the wari have cooked through. Add the black pepper, garam masala and salt if required. Serve piping hot with chutney and sliced banana.

Yellow Rice with Lentils

This is a bit more substantial and makes a change from plain rice as an accompaniment to a curry.

Ingredients:
175g puy lentils
350g long grain rice
100g ghee or clarified butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
8-10 cloves
4 cardamom pods, crushed
1 cinnamon stick
5ml turmeric
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Method:
Wash the rice under cold running water until the water runs clean. Place in a large bowl with the lentils and soak in cold water for 2 hours or more.

Heat the ghee or clarified butter in a frying pan and gently fry the onions and garlic over low heat until the onions are soft and translucent, but not coloured. Add the spices and seasoning and fry for another 3-4 minutes.

Drain the rice and lentils and add to the onion, garlic and spices in the pan, stirring well to make sure all the rice grains are coated with the mixture. Add 900ml boiling water and bring to the boil. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes until the rice grains are tender.

Remove the lid from the pan but leave on the heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid has all been absorbed. Serve hot.

Cooks Tip:

To crush cardamom pods, put them on a wooden chopping board and place a heavy based pan on top of them, exerting downward pressure. The pods just need to pop so that the seeds inside can be exposed to the cooking liquids in the dish you are preparing.

Orange Raisin and Almond Rice

It doesn't take much to dickey up a bit of rice, but what a difference it makes when it's pleasing to the eye and not just a plain bed of white. An orange, a couple of onions, a few hard boiled eggs and a sprinkling of nuts and raisins and you have something quite amazing!

Ingredients:

60ml ghee
2 large onions sliced in rings
seeds from 2 cardamom pods
2 sticks cinnamon
4 cloves
500ml long grain rice or basmati rice
250ml fresh orange juice
freshly shredded zest from 1 orange
1 litre of chicken stock
125ml blanched and sliced almonds
60ml raisins
3 eggs, hard boiled and sliced

Method:

Heat the ghee and fry the onion rings until they are a pale golden brown. Drain and set aside. In the same ghee, fry the almonds and raisins. Drain and set aside. Add the cardamom seeds, cinnamon and cloves to the pan and fry for about 1 minute then remove from the heat and stir in the dry rice, orange juice, half of the orange rind and the chicken stock.

Return to the stove and bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed - about 25 minutes. Toss in the fried onion rings, almonds and raisins and garnish with the sliced hard boiled eggs and the remaining orange zest.

Indian Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is an old favourite of so many peoples and nations, and there are as many recipes for is as there a nationalities that make it, and more. My variation of it takes inspiration from both my grandmothers, the one English and the other Dutch (Afrikaans), as well as from the Indian influences I was exposed to in Natal, South Africa. Although this recipe is made from dry rice, I often make it with left over cooked rice, reducing the amount of milk used., or just using cream, as the will takes me on the day, but this is my standard recipe for this delicious family favourite.

There is a little story, which I recall from my childhood about rice pudding. My Ouma Nelly, my Afrikaans grandmother, told us that rice pudding was a meal you ate in heaven from a silver bowl with a golden spoon. My other English gran, Granny Alice, insisted there had to be something mighty wrong with you if you didn't like rice pudding!

Ingredients:
100g pudding rice, short grain rice or risotto rice
1 litre milk
300ml double cream
4-5 green cardamom pods (use white if you can get them, they are sweeter)
50-60ml sugar
15ml rose water
125ml sultanas
30ml sherry
2-5ml cinnamon
30g toasted slivered almonds

Method:

Place the rice in a bowl, cover with boiling water and set aside to soak for 10 minutes, after which it can be drained ready to go in the pan. Meanwhile, soak the sultanas in the sherry, warming them in the microwave for about 20 seconds just to plump them up.

Heat a heavy-based saucepan, add the drained rice, milk and double cream to which the cardamom pods and sugar have been added. Stir to bring to the boil over medium heat. Check for sweetness and add more sugar if you like. Reduce the heat and simmer for a further 20 minutes.

Add the rosewater and soaked sultanas, with their liquor, and simmer for a few minutes before serving hot, sprinkled with cinnamon and toasted slivered almond.

Lamb Biryani

This elegant queen of dishes, a sumptuous North Indian classic, combines the fragrance of basmati rice with garam masala and meltingly tender pieces of lamb.

The name, Biryani, was derived from a Persian word that meant fried or roasted. The dish originated in Persia and was brought to the Indian sub-continent by Persian traders.

Today there are as many variations of Biryani as there are cities in the sub-continent, the cooking of the dish having spread to Arabia and North Africa as well as to every other country that has been touched by the peoples of the Indian Sub-continent.

Traditionally served on auspicious occasions, this luxurious fare is fit for royalty.

Ingredients:

a good pinch of saffron strands

2ml cardamom seeds

2 blades mace

4 onions

100ml vegetable oil, plus extra for deep frying

8 cm ginger, peeled

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

5ml chilli powder

1 lime, juice only

750 g lamb shoulder, cut into 4cm cubes

5 green cardamom

2 black cardamom

5 cm cinnamon sticks

6 whole cloves

2 dried bay leaves

5ml garam masala

3 green chillies, deseeded and sliced

200 ml Greek yogurt

450 g basmati rice

handful mint leaves

30ml butter

Method:

Soak the saffron in 2 tablespoons of hot water and set aside until ready to use.

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the cardamom seeds and mace to a powder and leave on one side; you'll need this later when layering up the rice and meat.

Slice 2 of the onions then sprinkle them with salt and set aside for 20 minutes. Squeeze out any excess water from the onions and pat them dry with paper towels. Deep-fry the sliced onions in hot oil until golden and drain on paper towels. Reserve half for garnishing the biryani.

Transfer the remaining fried onions to a food processor, pour in 3 tablespoons of hot water then purée; you should have about 2 tablespoons of onion paste.

Finely grate half of the ginger and combine with the garlic, chilli powder, and lime juice in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the onion paste and add the lamb. Mix everything together and leave to marinate for 1 hour.

Dice the 2 remaining onions. Heat 6 tablespoons of oil in a large casserole pan set over a medium heat and soften the diced onions for 5 minutes, without colouring.

Slice the remaining ginger into fine strips and set aside. Add the green and black cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves to the pan. Fry for about 30 seconds, until you get a warm, spicy aroma.

Tip in the meat and its marinade and add the garam masala, green chillies, and ginger strips. Bring to simmering point and gradually add the yogurt, a tablespoon at a time. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes, until the lamb is tender and the masala thickened; the sauce should be well-reduced and almost clinging to the meat.

Cover the rice with cold water and leave to soak for 20 minutes. Ten minutes before the meat is ready, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Drain the rice and add to the pan then cook for 5 minutes - it should be half-cooked and still have bite to it. Drain the rice in a colander.

Preheat the oven to 160C. Put half of the hot meat in the bottom of a clean casserole pan. Cover with half of the freshly boiled rice and sprinkle with half of the ground cardamom and mace spice mixture and half of the mint.

Top with the remaining meat and rice. Scatter over the rest of the spice mix, mint leaves, and the reserved fried sliced browned onions. Dot the surface with butter and drizzle over the saffron and its soaking liquid. Cover the biryani with wet greaseproof (waxed) paper and a well-fitting lid.

Bake for 40 minutes, until the rice is perfumed and perfectly cooked. Gently fluff up the grains with a fork and serve straight from the pan.

Chicken Malay

This is my zingy take on an old Cape Malay dish.

I recall my grandmother making it many moons ago.

Although the version I'm giving you here is finished under a grill,

this chicken can also receive it's final grilling on the Braai or Barbecue.

To grill it on the braai, take the bones out after the primary cooking in the sauce,

then thread the chicken on skewers to keep it in shape.

Serve with Chinese noodles or rice.

*

Ingredients:

2-3ml coriander seeds

5ml fenel seed

3cm stick of cinnamon

2-3ml black peppercorns

45ml vegetable oil

4 shallots, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves

3cm fresh root ginger

2 stalks of lemongrass, bashed and finely chopped

5ml turmeric

2 large red chillies, sliced across - I use seeds an'all

400ml tin coconut milk

30g tamarind block, soaked in boiling water to bring to a paste

10ml muscovado sugar

6 chicken thighs

*

Method:

Heat a small, sturdy griddle over a low heat and dry roast the coriander and fennel seeds, cinnamon stick and peppercorns for about a minute – until they give off a warm spicy aroma. Using a mortar and pestle, pound them to a powder. This helps to release their wonderful aroma and flavour.

*

Finely chop the shallots, garlic and ginger. Transfer them to a small food processor, add a splash of water to moisten and blend to a smooth paste. Heat the oil in a deep sided frying pan set over a low heat and soften the shallot mixture for 5 minutes without colouring.

*

Add the chopped lemongrass to the pan and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and red chillies and fry for another 30 seconds.

*

Tip in the ground mixed spice mixture. Pour in the coconut milk, add the sugar and tamarind and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken to the sauce and cook uncovered over a low heat for about 15-20 minutes until the sauce has cooked down into a paste, clinging to the chicken and the chicken is almost cooked. Add a splash of water if the sauce catches on the bottom of the pan.

*

Heat a grill to its hottest setting. Grill the chicken on a rack under the grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side until the chicken colours and develops a smoky aroma. The chicken can be deboned at this stage and threaded on skewers for an authentic traditional char-grilled flavour.

*

While grilling the chicken, continue to simmer the sauce so as to thicken it further. Serve with the sauce spooned over the chicken on a bed of rice or noodles.

*

For a more traditional Cape Malay touch,

you could add a handful of sultanas to the sauce when you add the chicken

and serve sprinkled with toasted slivered almonds.

I normally leave this out as we prefer it without this added touch,

which originates from the Cape Dutch influence.

If you are unable to get lemongrass,

substitute this with the zest of a lemon.

For a final finishing touch,

garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Pea and Gorgonzola Risotto

Risotto can be so delicious, especially when combined

with the sweet flavour of early-season peas from the garden.

Vary the flavour of this dish by adding asparagus or baby broad beans.

Instead of Gorgonzola,

use a grated strong Cheddar cheese or a crumbly Stilton or other flavoursome English cheese.

Ingredients:
225g shelled garden peas
30ml olive oil
50g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
350g Arborio rice
150ml dry white wine
1 litre vegetable stock
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to season
50g Gorgonzola cheese,crumbled or cut into small cubes
30ml chopped fresh parsley

To Garnish:
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese shavings

Method:
Blanch the peas for a minute or two in boiling water, drain through a colander and rinse with cold water.
Heat the vegetable stock in a large saucepan and keep it simmering.
Heat the oil with about a 1/4 of the butter in a large pan, add the onions and fry gently till translucent.
Add the rice to the cooked onion and stir gently till the rice grains are thoroughly coated in the oil and butter.
Turn up the heat a little and pour in the wine, Stirring through the rice till it has been taken up.
Gradually add the stock, a ladle full at a time, stirring constantly, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more.
This will take about 17-20 minutes.
Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Remove from the heat and stir in the peas, Gorgonzola cheese and remaining butter.
Rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with Parmesan shavings.

Basmati Pilau

A wonderful accompaniment to Indain dishes.

Ingredients:
500ml basmati rice
45ml vegetable oil
1 stick of Indian cinnamon
5 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
2 bay leaves
half an onion chopped
25g finely chopped fresh dill
650ml chicken stock

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Rinse the rice and drain well.
Place drained rice in a bowl and cover generously with water. Set aside for 30 minutes to soak, then drain well again.
In a heavy based pan with a tight fitting lid, heat the oil over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the cinnamin, cardamom and bay leaves and fry for 5-10 seconds.
Add the onion and fry for 4-5 minutes, stiring regularly until they are coloured. Do not burn.
Add the soaked, drained rice and the dill and stir well. Reduce the heat slightly and cook the rice for 2-3 minutes, stirring well, until the rice is coated in the oil and has begun to cook.
Add the stock and bring to the boil. Season to taste with salt then cover with a lid.
Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook the rice for 20-25 minutes until the rice is tender.

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